Strong Return
by SilverDawn15
Summary: After the events in Crocodile Tears, Alex gets a month vacation, but it becomes short when he hears of Tom moving away. While he offers Tom to live with him and Jack, a new villain has emerged. Will Alex and Tom defeat this villain or will they lose each other?
1. Prologue

Alex Rider

Strong Return

Being back in London was a relief for Alex, after his last mission in Africa, M16 decided to give him a break for a month. The only ones who knew where he was are his housekeeper Jack Starbright, a red haired energetic American girl, and his best friend Tom Harris, a boy with spiky black hair and pale blue eyes.

At least he thought his vacation was gonna be relaxing until the doorbell rang. Jack was in the middle of making breakfast when Alex opened the door. Tom was with the SAS team that Alex trained with: Wolf, Eagle, Fox or Ben, and Snake.

"How did you find them?" Alex demanded at Tom. "Eagle's my cousin," Tom said calmly. "So he got the group together and I invited them over here." Alex just stared dumbstruck at Tom, trying to process what he said.

While he did that the others came inside and helped Jack make more for pancakes and eggs. Alex was still frozen in the doorway, so Tom and Ben had to carry him to the couch where they let him drop on it.

He cursed when his back hit the couch really hard. The only thing Tom and Ben did to help was laugh. "Yeah yeah," He said painfully. "Laugh at my pain." After they were done eating they started talking about what happened during Alex's missions.

"You're kidding!" Tom exclaimed real loud. "Are you really sure?" Alex shook his head while laughing. "Yes," He said calming from his laugh. "Mr. Bray wasn't even in the room, I think the other me attacked him or something. But he couldn't do it because we were the same, same clothes, same faces, it would be like shooting himself."

"But you are him right?" Eagle asked, very confused. "No," Alex said back. "He was Dr. Grief, but we looked the same so he couldn't do it." All of a sudden Tom's cell went off. He answered it, immediately knowing what had happened.

"Gotta go home." He said after he hung up. "I'll drive you home," Eagle said getting up. "Then we'll come back here." After they left Wolf got up and walked to the center of the room. "Now that we know Cub's real name," He said getting back to his previous seat. "How about we introduce ourselves?"

"I'm Austin Ferrel." Snake said, finishing his pancakes. "My parents gave me the same name as my code name" Wolf announced surprising everyone. "You already know my name." Ben said, pulling Alex into a headlock and ruffling his hair. Just after Alex got out of Ben's grip and tried to twist his arm, Tom and Eagle walked into the room.

"What happened?" Austin asked, curious for why Tom and Eagle left. "My parents filed a divorce," Tom said solemnly. "Now I have to move to France."

* * *

**I got an inspiration from the song from Spirit 'I Will Always Return.' The characters don't belong to me, but the name for Snake is mine. **


	2. A Familiar Enemy

Strong Return

Chapter 2: A Familiar Enemy

"You have to what?" Alex asked, unable to comprehend what Tom said. "I have to move with my dad to France," Tom said while moving to sit on the couch. "It's not like I have a choice."

Alex was saddened and shocked at his best friend moving away, maybe for good, until an idea came to him. "Maybe you do have a choice." He said making everyone confused. "What do you mean?" Tom asked, more confused than the rest.

"You can live here with me and Jack," Alex said, clearing up the confusion. "That way Jerry or Eagle can visit, if and when he brings the team." The last part was directed at Eagle and the rest of the team.

"I'll have to ask Dad first," Tom said, planning how to ask his father. "If he says yes, it's a deal." He immediately left Alex' house to go ask his dad. During his walk some kids were listening to music, and one of the songs was 'Sally's Song' by Amy Lee.

He opened the door to see his father looking through available houses in Paris. "Hey dad?" Tom started to ask. "Do you mind if I live with Alex for now?" His father turned around in surprise. "Why do you want that?" He asked, still surprised.

"Alex came up with it," Tom said while walking to him. "Besides I'll finish school instead of transferring to a new one." That sounded like a good idea to his father, and a nod from him confirmed the idea.

They packed his stuff and while Eagle came to pick it up, he went back out for a walk. The song was still on his mind, and his secret was on his mind too. He got to the field to see some classmates play football.

_I_ _sense_ _there's_ _something_ _in_ _the_ _wind, that feels like tragedy's at hand._

He turned to get to Alex' house to tell the news, only if Eagle hasn't told him yet. He passed the cemetery and placed a red-and-brown maple leaf on Alex' uncle's grave.

When he got to Alex' house, there was no one in the living room... until a familiar voice sounded out. "OW! What the hell Ben?!" Alex' voice rang from a room on the second floor. "Watch where you put it!"

"Well then keep your mouth shut!" Wolf shouted at him. "Maybe it wouldn't hurt so much!" There was more sound from a room next to Alex' room. "Who the fuck cares?" Alex shouted, really furious now. "At least I'm not the only fucking one to hear Ben complain about not having a girlfriend!"

And though I'd like to stand by him, Can't shake this feeling that I have. The worst is just around the bend….

"Just shut the fuck up!" Eagle shouted at him. "We have to surprise him." A groan ripped from the room as he neared the door. "Oh shut it Morgan!" Austin's voice shouted at him. "You just couldn't pick your cousin up when you got his stuff!"

"How about you stop arguing," Alex said, voice raising in anger. "And fucking help get Tom's fucking room ready or else!" He opened the door partway to see everyone getting his room ready... only if they weren't shouting at each other.

"I wonder where Alex gets those swearing from." Jack said then glared at the SAS team. "Sorry," Ben said while lifting one end of an armoire. "Guess he got used to us swearing, it rubbed off on him."

_And does he notice my feelings for him? And will he see, how much he means to me? I think it's not to be._

"At least try not to drop the fucking armoire on my foot again," Alex asked, keeping his temper in check. "Or someone's gonna regret it." As they got the armoire on its legs, Eagle flopped on the bed.

"It's more comfortable than the ones at base." He said, only to have Austin give him a death glare. "Get off the fucking bed Morgan!" He shouted at him, making everyone else glare and shout at him.

_What will become of my dear friend? Where will his actions lead us then? Although I'd like to join the Crowd, and their enthusiastic cloud. Try as I may doesn't last. And will we ever end up together?_

Everyone was too busy shouting at Morgan they didn't see him walk behind Alex and poke him in the back. He yelped and turned around to see Tom laughing behind his hand. "Not funny Tom!" He shouted as he tried to smack him.

Tom dodged it and was laughing so hard he was crying. "Seeing you jump two feet was funny." He countered back. Next thing he knew he was running from a furious Alex outside the house.

_(Instrumental….)_

Alex tackled him onto the grass in the backyard, and tried to catch his breath. While he was doing that, Tom was lost in his thoughts while he was still pinned. He waited for Alex to calm down before he spoke.

"You know," He said, picking his head off the ground. "People are gonna think that this is something else." Alex didn't say a thing but just stared at him for a while, and then got off of him and helped him up.

"Let's get back inside." He said after helping Tom up. "Yeah." Tom said, before walking to the house. He realized that Tom was acting a little strange, even more than usual. He just shrugged to himself and followed Tom inside.

_And will we ever, end up together? No I think not. It's never to become. For I am not the one._

As he went inside the TV was on the news channel with a new story. 'A family of four were poisoned recently, studies showed that the air conditioners held minuscule amounts of poison, the person responsible for this is unknown but Mr. Noah Rivera will try to find the culprit.'

He looked around and saw Tom and Morgan frozen in shock. "Do you know him?" He asked the two still shocked. "He's my uncle," Tom muttered before he got angry. "What if it was him that put the poison in the air conditioners?!"

They realized Tom might be right, but before anyone could say a thing Alex pulled Tom out of the house and into the city. "What the hell Alex!" Tom shouted as he was dragged to... a bank?

It was called the Royal & General but when they went inside Alex immediately went to the elevator. It brought them to the fifteenth floor and he dragged Tom to a door without knocking.

In the room was an older man with gray suit, gray hair, gray lips, and fray eyes. His face was expressionless as they walked-well Tom was dragged-in. There was a middle-aged woman with him. She had a strange, potato-shaped head and her black hair looked as if it had been cut using a pair of blunt scissors and an upturned bowl. Her eyes were almost as black as her hair. She was dressed in a severe gray suit and was sucking a peppermint.

"You saw the report?" The man asked as Alex let Tom out of his grasp. "Tom thinks it's his uncle, the one that was mentioned, that put the poison in the air conditioners." Alex said, his voice not wavering.

"I'll call Smithers to give you some gadgets to see if your friend's right." The woman said as she picked up a phone. "I want to go as well." Tom said, surprising everyone in the room. "Are you sure?" She asked unsure. "Being a spy is not-"

"He's my uncle," Tom said in a calm yet threatening voice. "It'll just be like I'm visiting him and bringing a friend. He won't know we'll be spying on him and his work." She thought about it and then nodded.

As she made the call Alex turned to him still in shock. "You really want to?" He asked unsure of his decision. "Yes," He said much more calm. "That way I can help you get past him without setting him off."

"Setting him off?" Alex asked confused. "He has a short temper," Tom said, clearing it up. "And if we go anywhere prohibited without his permission he'll blow." He just nodded while looking out the window.

"Smithers will meet you two in the gadget room." She said after the phone call to him. They left to find the room and found a bald man that when he sat in a chair looked like it was swallowed up.

"Alex!" Smithers shouted as he pulled him into a hug. "Who's your friend?" As he released him, he went to Tom and pushed him to Smithers. "This is Tom Harris," He said exhausted from pushing. "Mr. Rivera's nephew and my best friend."

"If you're going to do what your friend does," He said while pulling out some gadgets. "Then you'll need some gadgets." There was two pairs of shoes that looked like running shoes. "These are communicating shoes," He said confusing the two. "You turn this on," He pressed on the back of a shoe's heel. "And give it two taps."

He tapped it twice on the table and grabbed a shoe of the other pair. 'And give it two taps.' The shoe repeated surprising the two. "This iPad is a poison tracker," He brought out an iPad that had a blue cover. "If your uncle did do that poison deed, this'll track the source."

He brought out two water bottles that were filled with what could be water. "That's mineral substance," He said clearing their confusion. "Put one drop on a piece of metal or a mineral and it'll change color to show if it's poisonous."

After they got their gadgets, they went back home to get some clothes and for Tom to call his uncle. Maybe working with Alex on this might not be too bad. He thought after he called his uncle. Maybe he could tell him the secret he had for a week.

* * *

**The name of Eagle and Tom's uncle are mine. I don't own any of the other characters.**


End file.
